Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP Track), BSN to DNP Degree
The Neonatal Nurse Practitioner track is a 75-credit hour graduate nursing curriculum designed to prepare experienced registered nurses for advanced practice in neonatal nursing. The curriculum emphasizes advanced nursing care of newborns and infants from birth through the first two years of life. The spectrum of health from promotion of wellness to management of acute and chronic illness in a variety of settings is incorporated into the program. This is an online program with required on-campus and virtual immersions.
The program of study conforms to educational guidelines from the Texas Board of Nursing, the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2021), the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN), and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) and National Taskforce on Quality Nurse Practitioner Education (NTF, 2022). Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for national Neonatal Nurse Practitioner certification examination offered by the National Certification Corporation for the Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing Specialties (NCC).
Requirements for the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Concentration (DNP - Nurse Practitioner)
BSN to DNP Track
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| DNP Advanced Practice Nursing Core (BSN to DNP) 1 | 41 | |
| Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Concentration | ||
| NUR 5163 | Advanced Assessment and Diagnostics of the Newborn/Infant Practicum 1 | 1 |
| NUR 5262 | Advanced Assessment and Diagnostics of the Newborn/Infant 1 | 2 |
| NUR 5266 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Practicum I | 2 |
| NUR 5360 | Embryology and Developmental Physiology | 3 |
| NUR 5361 | Advanced Newborn/Infant Pharmacotherapeutics 1 | 3 |
| NUR 5363 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Practicum II | 3 |
| NUR 5365 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Management I: High-Risk & Critically Ill Newborns/Infants | 3 |
| NUR 5367 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Management II: Acute & Chronic Problems of Newborns/Infants | 3 |
| NUR 5369 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Practicum III Residency | 3 |
| NUR 6202 | The NICU Graduate | 2 |
| NUR 6369 | Clinical Genetics in Practice | 3 |
| Advanced Practice Nursing Residency | ||
| NUR 6V76 | Advanced Practice Nursing Residency | 6 |
| Total Hours | 75 | |
Post-Master's APRN to DNP Track (no APRN role change)
Students must meet admissions requirements specific to this advanced track.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Post-Master's DNP Advanced Practice Nursing Core | 30 | |
| NUR 6V76 | Advanced Practice Nursing Residency | 7 |
| Total Hours | 37 | |
- 1
The 6 hr. of the typical 47-hr. Advanced Practice Nursing Core (BSN to DNP) are replaced by Neonatal Nurse Practitioner courses as follows:
- Instead of NUR 5351 Advanced Pharmacology, Neonatal NP students complete NUR 5361 Advanced Newborn/Infant Pharmacotherapeutics
- Instead of NUR 5354 Advanced Health Assessment/Promotion/Disease Prevention, Neonatal NP students complete NUR 5163 Advanced Assessment and Diagnostics of the Newborn/Infant Practicum and NUR 5262 Advanced Assessment and Diagnostics of the Newborn/Infant
These courses are listed in the concentration requirements section for clarity, leaving 41 hours in the core.
This track requires 6 credits of 6V76.